The digital gap is widening in higher education.As thousands of institutions adjust to remote instruction, the need for robust and intelligent technology is more than a nice-to-have, it’s an imperative.But the value of digital transformation goes beyond hosting impromptu online courses. Institutions that have already embraced digital process automation leverage technology to achieve what Gartner describes as the four key goals of digital transformation: enhanced competitiveness, higher profitability, better customer experience, and greater agility across the enterprise.For institutions that haven’t gone digital, this article will explore how digital transformation can help them to do the same.
Enhanced competitiveness
The number of four-year colleges in the United States has grown more than 40 percent since 1980. From online universities to niche specialty schools, each successive generation of students has more options to choose from when considering where to pursue an education.This market expansion creates challenges for some traditional institutions. As the world becomes increasingly digital, prospective students expect universities to provide them with the same level of convenience they enjoy in other areas of their lives.The Economist found that failure to innovate makes educational institutions stuck in the technological past less competitive—and is a prime example of this shift.To remain competitive in a digital world, forward-thinking institutions must keep pace with technology to meet evolving student demands.To pull it off, they must embrace digital transformation—not as a quick series of changes, but as a holistic approach to upgrading operations in a way that redefines how they deliver value.With an intelligent business process management system (iBPMs), universities can create sustainable online models that attract and engage students on their preferred channels.
